


Starry Night

by goodnyte



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: M/M, genre: fluff, series: OP/SS 2014 Advent Challenge, verse: g1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 18:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2822540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodnyte/pseuds/goodnyte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes being home for the holidays has less to do with where you are and more to do with who you're with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Starry Night

**Author's Note:**

> **‘Verse:** G1  
>  **Series:** Optimus/Starscream Advent Challenge 2014  
>  **Rating:** G  
>  **Characters:** Optimus Prime/Starscream  
>  **Warnings:** Making out; hints of intimacy.  
>  **Notes:** A sequel to Day 7, "How the Seeker Stole Christmas". Set in G1, with a pre-existing established relationship. Written for Day 8 of the Optimus Prime/Starscream Advent Challenge, Starry Night.

Optimus was glad that the area surrounding the _Ark_ crash site had remained largely unsettled throughout the centuries. Its mountainous surroundings lent it a quiet that was absent from the human cities; it also made the sky appear clear above them, untouched by the smog that had clogged the cities of Cybertron in their planet’s last days. The stars still didn’t look as vibrant as they once had, but Optimus wondered if that’s because it was foreign bodies hovering above them, constellations they never mapped and star systems they’d never seen.

That clinging sense of alienation settled over him, making his tanks uneasy. He could understand Starscream’s frustrations, no matter how hard he tried to acclimate the rest of the Autobots to their life on Earth. As he made the ascent to the roof of the _Ark_ , he wondered if he was making the right choice; was he making it worse by allowing them to indulge their curiosity about the humans’ customs?

“You’re not very creative about your hiding spots,” he said as he found Starscream sitting atop one of the ship’s ventilation towers, perched on it with his knees pressed up against his chest. “It’s almost as though you want to be found.”

Starscream growled, not bothering to look down at him. “I’m not hiding,” he spat, tightening his grip on his knees. “I just want to be left alone to my misery. Isn’t that how you put it? That I’m miserable and want everyone else to be miserable with me?” he hissed, only glancing down at the Prime for a moment, to see if he was listening. “Well, here I am proving you wrong. I’m fine being miserable by myself.”

Optimus sighed, regretting his words though he stood by them. “Was I incorrect in my assessment? You said it yourself that you’re miserable, being stuck here,” he said, using Starscream’s words as he had used his own. “Or is there some other reason you insisted on removing the decorations from the common areas?”

“I told you,” Starscream said shortly. “Why not celebrate our own traditions? I hate the human filth.”

“Were the old traditions upheld on the _Nemesis_?” Optimus asked, honestly curious.

Starscream was silent for a moment, and then, “At least we didn’t try to replace them with humanity’s myths.”

“We are not replacing anything, Starscream,” the Prime retorted, almost offended by the notion. “The change has been difficult enough and if decorating in the native fashion provides anyone even a small measure of comfort—”

The controlled crash of Starscream leaping from the tower and landing on the roof of the _Ark_ proper cut Optimus off, the sound of the seeker landing so forcibly undoubtedly audible in the decks below. Starscream stalked over to the Prime in a single stride, glowering. “That’s what’s wrong with you Autobots—so preoccupied with comfort!” he shouted, plating flaring as he tried to draw himself taller to compete with Optimus’ height advantage.

“And what is so wrong with comfort?” Optimus asked, maintaining his calm despite the several tons of enraged seeker threatening to detonate in front of him.

“It makes you lazy, complacent,” Starscream growled, jabbing an accusatory finger into the Prime’s chest armor. “Megatron is more interested in … _colonizing_ this trash heap and you’re apparently in favor of assimilation!” he screeched.

Optimus narrowed his optics at that particular accusation, his tolerance threatening to relent. He moved quickly to grab at Starscream’s wrist, wrenching the seeker’s accusatory digit away from him. Starscream stilled; his optics went wide though his defiant scowl remained. “I resent what you are implying,” he rumbled. “I wish to go home as badly as you do.”

Starscream shook his helm with a snort. He seemed … disappointed. “It’d be nice if you’d show it for once,” he huffed, jerking his hand away from the Prime’s grip; Optimus let him go.

He stood there, somewhat stunned; his commitment to returning them home was so absolute that he had never even considered that it would have to be demonstrated. Was it possible others were as unconvinced as Starscream was?

“The stars here are different,” the seeker said quietly, taking a measured step away from Optimus when the Prime didn’t say anything right away. “I studied them for so long on Cybertron and even after all this time, it’s jarring to look up and see a sky that’s different than what you’ve come to expect.”

Optimus sighed, not taking a step to follow him, not yet. “I know it has been difficult. But believe me, I miss those stars just as much as you do. We will see them again someday and in the meantime,” he said, taking his step forward, “I see nothing wrong with doing what little we can to make ourselves feel better. Cybertron is still there and being miserable won’t get us home faster.”

Starscream looked up at him and didn’t move to distance himself, which Optimus took as a good sign that he was reaching the seeker. He let the stubborn arms clamped against his chest fall away, his body relaxing as though giving up on some long sigh he’d been holding in. “You’re usually not the one who has to remind me to have a good time,” he said with a small smirk, moving to close the distance between them.

Optimus rumbled in approval, matching the motion. “That is true. It’s not often that I’m encouraging others to have more fun. Quite the opposite, in fact,” he said with a chuckle, reaching to place a gentle hand on the seeker’s arm. “But, I am still troubled by what you said. I do not wish to see you so miserable,” he said, tone kind but serious. He caught Starscream’s optics and held them, taking him to account. “What can I do to help?”

Starscream tilted his helm, smirk widening. “Do not overly concern yourself. I am prone to exaggeration, remember,” he said, but blinked when Optimus continued to look at him, his disbelief nearly palpable in the tugging brush of his energy field. “Oh, fine. I suppose I can think of a few things.”

“Such as?”

Starscream leaned forward. “Well, for one…” he started, then tilted himself upward to press a kiss against the Prime’s faceplate. “Lose this thing,” he said, optics bright with mischief.

Optimus raised an optic ridge and acquiesced, retracting the mask. “Who knew you would be so easily satisfied?” he teased, leaning down to kiss Starscream, meeting him halfway. He hummed as the seeker’s hands found his arms and pulled them closer together, wordlessly appreciating the way in which Starscream’s energy field finally opened up to his, betraying the honesty of his frustration and homesickness.

Beneath the frustration he could feel was a hollow hunger, a desire for _home_ that he recognized readily because he had felt the same craving, though not so intensely. He responded by reaching out with his own field, letting it resonate with what comfort he could offer and mimicking the frequency for home – they could pretend, just for a moment, beneath these stars that were at once familiar and foreign.

The force of Starscream’s reaction surprised him, drawing him from his thoughts and back to their kiss – and when had his ventilation fans kicked on? The kiss broke, leaving them panting; Starscream’s energy field dragged on his own, that hunger burning at the small echo of refuge he’d offered by inviting him to be home, here.

“You’re such a fool,” Starscream said, teasing, his mouth pulling into a wide grin. “And I’ve thought of a few more things you can do to help,” he purred, tugging at Optimus’ arms, tempting the Prime to follow him down.

Optimus chuckled, considering himself tempted. “Gladly,” he said, leaning forward to gently tilt and lie them both carefully on the roof of the _Ark_ , capturing Starscream’s lips again as soon as they were lying flat.

It was a challenge, to help Starscream feel at home, to make him feel as wanted and valued here as he had been on Cybertron – to be able to lie here and look up at the stars above them and instead of feeling lost, to feel assured that home was out there, still waiting for them.


End file.
